Sweet Potato Gnocchi
A couple of hints, do not incorporate any more flour than necessary. Too much flour will make them heavy and doughy. Also, work with lots of flour on the counter top. As you roll the rope you may need a bit more flour so it isn’t sticky. Also, after you have cut the rope into 1″ pieces you will want to toss them in flour so there are no sticky.
I made ricotta on yesterday’s post and it is so easy.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
1 lb sweet potatoes½ c fresh ricotta2 T finely grated parmesan cheesepinch of nutmegsalt and pepper to tasteapprox. 2 c all purpose
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and wrap in foil. Place in the oven directly on the rack and bake for 1 hour or until very tender.
2. When done, remove the foil and let cool to room temperature. Remove the skin and mash in a bowl with a fork.
3. Stir in ricotta, nutmeg, parmesan, salt and pepper.
4. Begin adding the flour, ½ c at a time, gently mixing with a fork or your hands.
5. Continue adding flour until it becomes a dough that you can roll into ropes. You still want a soft dough and only incorporate enough flour to make it a touchable dough without adding too much floury weight.
6. Tear off a piece of dough and roll out into a ½” thick rope on a floured surface. Use a lot of flour on the counter so you can add more if the dough is too sticky. Cut the rope into 1” pieces. Toss them in the flour to coat all the cut ends. Roll each gnocchi across the back of fork tines. Set them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
7. When all of the dough has been made into gnocchi, place them in the freezer until you are ready to use them. If you are not using them right away, place the frozen gnocchi in a tightly sealed freezer bag. These can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
8. To serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a full boil. Add gnocchi and cook until they rise to the surface. When they float, they are done. Drain and serve with desired sauce.
Recipe 2
Gnocchi:
1 pound Sweet potatoes
1 3/4 cups flour, may need more or less
1 medium egg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt & pepper
Directions:
1. For both versions of gnocchi, cook potatoes until tender and mash until smooth.
Tip: Here’s an easy (and cool) way, courtesy of my Aunt, to cook and peel a potato at once!
a. Clean potatoes and, with a sharp knife, score ~1/8 inch deep around the entire potato.
b. Boil potatoes for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes) until a paring knife can easily be inserted into the fattest part.
c. Take potatoes out of the boiling water, cool and when you’re able to handle them, slip the skins off. Cool, huh?!
2. Whisk and add one medium sized egg to each bowl of mashed potatoes. Add seasonings and stir until just combined.
3. Starting with the white potatoes, add 1/4 cup flour and kneed with your hands until just combined. If dough is too sticky, add a little flour. (You’ll be able to add more flour when you roll the gnocchi out, so it’s better to incorporate less now, than too much.)
Do the same for the sweet potatoes, adding 1/4 cup flour at a time, until barely sticky.
4. Generously flour a clean, dry surface and knead the dough a couple times until it has come together in a ball.
5. Cut the dough ball into quarters and roll each quarter into a long rope until it’s the width of your index finger.
6. Using a floured knife, cut the rope into one inch sections.
7. Hold a fork, curved side up with one hand and with the thumb of your other hand, gently roll the dough from the top of the curve, to the bottom, keeping your thumb in contact with the dough the whole time.
You’ve created gnocchi!
8. Continue rolling your gnocchi until you’ve gone through the rest of the dough.
Don’t worry if they don’t look perfect. You’ll get better with practice and they still taste the same, no matter how they look!
9. Repeat steps 4-6 with the sweet potato dough.
You can roll these segments over a fork, or keep as-is, for a nice textural difference.
10. If you don’t plan to eat your gnocchi right away, place them on a cookie sheet and into the freezer until hard, ~20 minutes.
Transfer to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for 4-6 months. Just like homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli and Gyoza, these cook the same from the freezer as they do fresh!
Gnocchi with Garlic Butter
Ingredients:
Fresh or frozen Gnocchi
Butter
Minced garlic
Salt & Pepper
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season water with salt and add gnocchi. Cook until the gnocchi float to the top. Gently drain.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until light brown, ~30 seconds. Add gnocchi, salt & pepper, and sauté until golden brown.
3. Serve immediately.
Pillowy, chewy, slightly firm and ABsolutely outstanding! The quick sauté in butter and garlic give them a nice little crust and on the outside. TDF.
AND, I am proud to say, I have successfully converted Ben to a sweet potato lover with this recipe. 
Sound the alarms!
Gnocchi’s are fantastic to create on a lazy weekend afternoon, and then cook up on a busy weeknight. Straight from the freezer, to the water, to the pan – and right to your plate!
I love eating dishes like this because you made them, you know? Nothing came from a package, bag or can, etc. It’s all homemade, baby!
